Bending machinery.



J. P. GAIL. BENDING' MACHINERY. APPLICATION IILED AUG. 2. 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. P. GAIL. BENDING MAGHINERY. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2. 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. F. GAIL.

BENDING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2. 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. F. GAIL. BENDING MACHINERY, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2. 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

mm c0. PHOKLHYHGGRAPNERS wnsmusww. no

J. F. GAIL.

BENDING MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2. 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

ANDREW & cam-1m co, pno'rmuwocmmzxsl WASHINGTON. n. c.

para s ra n ranr nice.

JOHN F. GAIL, F KENOSI-IA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SIMMONSMANUFACTUR- ING- COMPANY, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFWISCONSIN.

BENDING- MACHINERY.

ceases.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. GAIL, residing at Kenosha, in the county ofKenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bending Machinery, of which the following is a complete,clear, full, and precise specification.

My invention relates to bending machinery particularly to a machine forbending straight lengths of angle bar into are lengths.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a machine which isentirely automatic in its operation and into which it is necessary onlyto feed the straight lengths, the finished are lengths being deliveredfrom the machine at the end of the automatically performed formingsteps.

Another object of my invention is to construct and arrange the machineparts in compact, simple and well balanced form so that the machine willoccupy very little floor space and so that its efficiency of operationwill be at a maximum.

Various other features in the construction and arrangement are alsoembodied in my invention, and in the accompanying figures which clearlyillustrate the machine: Figure 1 is a plan view of the bending machineand counter shaft from which the machine is driven. Fig. 2 is anenlarged front elevation of the machine looking from the left of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a view looking from the left of Fig. 2, parts of the frame andcontrolling parts being cut away and omitted. Fig. 1 is a plan viewtaken from plane 4.- 1, Fig. 3. Fig. is an enlarged plan view showingthe traveling forming parts in a different position from that shown inFig. 1. Fig. 6 is an elevation view of the upper section of the partsshown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on plane 7-7, Fig.5.

The machine supporting frame is in the form of a cylindrical drum orshell 1 bolted to the top of a standard 2, annular top plate 3 extendingradially a distance both inwardly and outwardly. The main shaft 4-. isvertical and extends axially through the drum and has suitable bearingsat its lower end. The sleeve 5 has a flange 6 bolted to a worm-wheel 7which is concentric with shaft land which is held to the shaft by meansof a set screw 8 engaging through the sleeve 5. A cylindrical table 9extends Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

Serial No. 510,762.

' in the opening 10 surrounded by the plate 3 and is held in position byengagement of its hub 11 with the sleeve 5. The table is secured totravel with the worm-wheel 7 and this may be accomplished by keying thetable 9 to the shaft 4: or by securing its hub 11. to the sleeve 5. Theupper end of shaft 4 journals in a bearing sleeve 12 from which extendsan arm 13 secured at its outer end by means of screws 14 to the upperend of an angle member 15 whose base 16 is secured by means of bolts 17to the top plate 3 adjacent the table 9.

The table 9 is strengthened by an upper hub 18 and radial webs 19 and 20between whose ends extends the forming arc piece 21. This are piece hasbolted to its top a plate 22 whose end face at its front is recessed sothat the plate forms, with the are 21, the slot 23 for receiving one Webof the angle bar sections to be bent, the outer face of the are piece 21engaging with the other web of the angle bar lengths. Pivoted at itselbow to the top of the web 19 is a bell crank lever 24 whose endterminates in a handle 25 and whose other end pivots to one end of alink 26. The other end of this link pivots to the rear end of a slidinglever 27 held in place by a belt or pin 28 secured to the web 19 andextending through slot 29 and by a screw or pin 30 engaging with the endof arc piece 21 and extending through a slot 31 cut through the lever.The front end of the lever 32 is bent to be parallel with the front faceof the are piece 21 and carries a pin 33 for engaging in hole 34%. inthe arc piece 21 near its left end. The angle bar lengths A to be benthave holes a at their ends through which the pin 33 passes and the anglebar lengths are in this manner locked to the are forming frame 21.

J ournaled at its upper end in the frame 13 and at its lower end in thebase 16 is a vertical shaft 35 on which is mounted eccentrically acylindrical member 36 carrying a roller 36. The upper end of the shaftreceives a lever 37 by means of which the shaft may be rotated to bringthe roller away from or toward the forming arc piece 21 which is bridgedby the arm 13. A plate 38 has a slot 39 through which it may beadjustably secured to the arm 13 by means of a screw 10, this platehaving a pin l1 forming a stop for the arm 37. Pivoted to l the topplate 3 and disposed between the top plate and the overhanging areforming frame 21 is a lever 42 whose up-turned front end carries a guidepiece 44 having a groove 45 for receiving the vertical web of the anglebar lengths to be bent. A spring 46 connecting between the piece 44 andthe machine frame tends to swing the lever to carry the guide pieceoutwardly. The front end of the guide piece 44 is tapered so that theend may enter between the forming frame and roller and the pivot pointof the lever 42 is so positioned that when an angle length is properlyapplied to the guide piece its end will properly find its way into theslot 23 and between the forming frame 21 and the roller 36. Before thelength is applied the lever 25 is swung about its pivot to slide the bar27 forwardly to carry the pin 33 from the path of the section end, andwhen the hole a at the entrance end of the section registers with thehole 34 in the forming frame, the lever 25 is returned to move the bar27 to carry the pin 33 through the hole a and into hole 34 thus to lockthe entrance end of the length to the forming frame 21. hen the pin 33thus engages with the fed in length, the pivot of lever 24 and thepivots of the link 26 are in a common plane so that the pin 33 cannot bereleased except upon rotation of the lever 24. As will be shown laterthe table 9 oscillates to first draw the fed in length between theforming frame 21 and the roller 36 and then in the opposite direction sothat the formed length can be removed. After the lever 24 has beenmanipulated to lock a fed in length to the frame 21 the machine isstarted and the lever 37 is swung and held against the stop pin 41 sothat the vertical web of the angle bar length will be held against thefront face of the frame 21, the horizontal web of the bar being keptuniplanar by its engagement in slot 23, and after the table is movedforwardly the angle bar length will have been bent into arc form. henthe rear end of a fed in length leaves the guide piece 44, the lever 42is swung away from the frame 21 by the spring 46. When the table returnsto its normal position the lever 37 is swung to withdraw the roller 36and lever 24 is swung to unlatch the pin 33 so that the formed length isready fordischarge from the machine. The discharge mechanism comprises ablock 47 carried at the front end of a lever 48 pivoted at anintermediate point to a lug 49 secured to the oscillating table, therear end of the arm pivoting a roller 50 which cooperates with a camrail 51 secured to the top plate 3. The discharge block 47 extends intopassageway 52 cut through the frame 21 and communicating with the slot23. A spring 53 tends to hold the front end of lever 48 against the stoppin 54. In Fig. 5 the table has traveled a distance to draw in an anglebar length to be formed, the roller 50 being disengaged from the camrail 51 and the lever 48 being held against the stop 54. After the anglebar length has been formed and the table returned to its normal positionthe roller 50 at the end of this return movement engages the cam rail 51so that the lever 48 is swung and the discharge block 52 pushedoutwardly to eject the angle bar section from the frame 21.

The driving mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Bearings55 and 56 are secured to the outside of the supporting drum 1 andjournal a driving shaft 57. On this shaft and between the bearings iskeyed a. worm 58 which projects inwardly through opening 58 and mesheswith the worm wheel 7. Loosely mounted on the shaft to the right ofbearing 56 is a forward driving pulley 59 and loosely mounted at theleft end of the shaft is a reverse driving pulley (30. On the shaftbetween pulley 59 and bearing 56 is a clutch collar 61 adapted tocooperate with suitable clutch mechanism 62 to clutch the driving pulley59 to shaft 57. Also mounted on shaft 57 between the bean ing 55 andreverse pulley (30 is a clutch collar 63 adapted to actuate clutchmechanism 64 to clutch the pulley to shaft 57. Extending from the clutchsleeves 61 and (53, respectively, are arms 64 and 65 terminating insleeves ('36 and (57 which are secured at the respective ends of a shaft68, which shaft may reciprocate laterally through bearings 69 and 70secured to the drum 1. Secured to the shaft 68 between these bearings isa sleeve 71 which has a cam arm 72 extending downwardly and throughopening 59 into the interior of drum 1. A spring 73 connecting betweenthe drum frame and the sleeve 71 tends to draw the shaft 68 to the left.In the normal position of the machine this movement is prevented by theengagement of the end of arm 72 with an adjustable cam block 74 carriedby worm wheel 7. This cam block is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and maybe adjustably secured in a slot 75 cut in the worm wheel. Bolted to theoutside of the drum adjacent the upper end of the opening 59 is a plate76 which supports a rearwardly extending sleeve 77 journaling a pin 78whose front end supports a leftwardly extending latch arm 79 and whoserear end supports a downwardly extending cam arm 80. The left end 81 ofarm 79 extends clownwardly a distance to form a latching shoulder 81 forreceiving the point 82 of the latch block 83 formed on the sleeve 71. Aspring 84 connects between the arm and a pin 85 extending from the drum,the effect of this spring being to rotate shaft 78 to hold the arm 79downwardly in the path of latch block 83. A cam arm 86 is adapted to beadjustably positioned and secured in channel 75 of the worm wheel andextends upwardly to strike arm 80 when the table reaches the end of itsforward movement. The right end of shaft 57 is further journaled andsupported in a bearing 87 at the top of a standard 88, and carried bythe shaft between the standard and the pulley 59 is a brake wheel 89engaged by a brake strap 90 whose one end is secured to pin 91 extendinginwardly from standard 88 and whose other end connects with one arm ofthe bell crank lever 92 pivoted to the standard at 93 the other arm ofthe lever pivoting to the right end of the brake rod 94;, thearrangement being such that movement of the brake rod toward the rightwill cause the strap to clamp the brake pulley. In the normal position,before the machine is started, the brake rod is locked to the right andshaft 57 braked, locking being accomplish-ed by the engagement of ashoulder 95 with the right end of the sleeve 67, the shoulder beingformed on the brake red. A spring 96 abutting against the left end ofthe brake rod and against a stud 97 extending from the sleeve 67 tendsto hold the shoulder in such locking engagement with sleeve 67. As bestshown in Figs. 1 and 2 a controlling lever 98 is pivoted on a bracket 99extending from the side of the drum frame, a spring 100 connect-ingbetween the rear end and the drum frame and tending to swing the frontend of said lever to the left. The front end of the lever 98 extendsbelow the left end of the brake lever. The pivot arrangement of thelever is such that it may be swung both in vertical and horizontalplanes.

The normal position of the driving mechanism is as shown in Figs. 2, 8and the clutch mechanism being inactive, the brake set and the arm 79unlatched from the sleeve 71. After the operator has inserted an anglebar length into the machine he swings starting lever 101 to actuatesuitable belt shifting mechanism 102 to shift the main driving belt 103from the idle pulley 10a to.

the driving pulley 105 to thus start the counter shaft 106 and thepulleys 107 and 108 belted, respectively, to the forward and reversemain driving pulleys 59 and 60. To start the machine the operator firstraises the lever 98 to lift the left end of the brake rod to unlatch theshoulder 95 from the sleeve 67 whereupon the brake rod is thrown to theleft by the force of a spring 119 CO11 necting between the brake rod andthe machine frame. The lever 98 is then swung to the right againstsleeve 67 to shift shaft 68 to the right to carry the collar 61 intoposition to actuate clutch mechanism 62 to clutch forward driving pulley59 to shaft 57. During this movement the arm 79 travels over the latchblock 83 until shoulder 81 drops into engagement with point 82 whereuponshaft 68 will be locked in its right position against the force ofspring 73 and the forward driving pulley held in clutch engagement withshaft 57 during which time the worm wheel oscillated in a forward orclockwise direction to bend the fed-in angle bar length. At the end ofthis forward movement the extension 86 strikes the arm 80 and lifts arm79 to release sleeve 71 thus allowing spring 7 3 to throw the shaft 68to its extreme left position to disengage clutch collar 61 from clutchmechanism 62 and to engage collar 63 with clutch mechanism 64 to clutchthe reverse driving pulley 60 to shaft 57. The table will now move inreverse direction until cam block 74 engages with arm 72, thisengagement causing shifting to the right of shaft 68 and disconnectionof clutch sleeve 63 from clutch mechanism 64. When the shaft 68 isthrown to its extreme left by spring 78 the sleeve 67 passes to the leftof shoulder 95 on the brake rod, and as the shaft 68 is carried towardthe right upon engagement of cam block 7 4: with the arm 72, the sleeve67 re engages with shoulder 95 to move the brake rod to the right toactuate the brake mechanism so that the shaft 57 is stopped when theparts assume their normal. position. Thus the machine automaticallyreverses its direction and is automatically stopped at the end of eachforming operation.

When a blank is to be inserted into the machine its end is first appliedto the guide piece 44 and the lever 12 then swings to carry the end ofthe blank into slot 23 and against the front face of the forming frame21 with the hole a of the blank registering with the hole 341: in theframe 21 and the locking pin is then applied as has already beendescribed. Upon actuation of lever 98 the apparatus starts and theoperator forces lever 37 around to press roller 36 against the blank,the vertical web of the blank being then bent into are form against thefront face of the frame 21, and the horizontal flange being upset andcompressed in the slot 23. By means of the adjustable plate 88 theposition of stop pin 41 can be ad justed so that the upper pressure canbe brought to bear against the flange by the roller 36. A stop pin 41can also be provided for stopping the lever 87 when in its out position.In order that the blank will form more readily it may be lubricated, anda pan 110 provided for containing soft soap, grease or other lubricantto be applied to the blanks before they are formed. This pan may besupported from the top plate 3 as shown.

The machine described is well balanced, strong and compact. All theoperative parts are within the top plate 3 and there are no parts whichswing out during operation to endanger the operator. The blanks arefirmly gripped and held in the machine until completely and accuratelyformed and are then automatically ejected.

The machine is automatic in its reversing operation and automaticallystopped at the completion of a formation operation. The machine couldalso be used for bending flat bars against the front surface of theblock 21 or could also be used for bending flat bars in the slot 23 inthe direction of their planes.

Changes and modifications may be made both in construction andarrangement which will still come within the scope of my invention, andI, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise construction andarrangement shown, and I desire to secure the following claims byLetters Patent.

1. In a bending machine for bending blanks into curved shape, thecombination of a stationary supporting frame, a forming block pivoted tosaid frame and having a forming surface corresponding to the shape intowhich the blanks are to be bent, said block having a hole at one end, alocking bar mounted to travel with said forming block and having a pinfor passing through a hole at one end of a blank and into the formingblock hole to clamp said end of the blank to the block, a companionblock mounted on said frame adjacent said surface to form a gap, andmeans for rotating said block to draw the blank through said gap andthere by against said forming surface whereby said blank assumes thecurvature of said surface.

2. In a bending machine for bending metal bars, the combination of astationary supporting frame, a table rotatably pivoted in said frame, aforming block carried by said table and having a forming surfacecorresponding to the shape to which blank bars are to be bent, saidblock having a hole at one end, a bar suitably mounted on said table andcarrying a pin at one end adapted to pass through asuitable hole at oneend of a blank and into the hole of said block to lock said end of theblank to the block, lever mechanism for controlling said sliding bar,said lever mechanism being self locking when said bar has been movedthereby to clamp the blank to the block, a companion forming membermounted on said stationary frame adjacent said forming surface, andmeans for rotating said table to draw the blanks past said companionforming member whereby said blank is pressed against the forming surfaceto be bent in accordance with said surface.

3. In a bending machine for bending angle bar blanks, the combination ofa stationary supporting frame, a table rotatably pivoted in said frame,a forming block carried by the table and having a forming surface and aslot, means for clamping one end of one web of a blank to one end ofsaid surface, said slot receiving the other web of the blank, acompanion forming member mounted on said frame adjacent said surface,means for rotating said table to draw a clamped blank over saidcompanion block whereby said first web is pressed by said companionblock against said surface to assume the shape of said surface, theother web of the blank being received and formed by said slot duringrotation of the table, a discharge plate passing through said blockadjacent said slot, and cam mechanism operated upon rotation of saidtable to move said plate to eject the blank from said slot afterformation thereof.

4. In a bending machine for bending angle bar blanks, the combination ofa stationary supporting frame, a table pivoted in said frame, a formingblock carried by the table, said block having a forming surfacecorresponding to the shape to which a blank is to be bent and having aslot running parallel with said surface, means for clamping one end of ablank to one end of said surface, a companion forming member mounted onsaid frame adjacent said surface, means for oscillating said tableforward and back, one web of said blank being drawn past said companionblock and pressed against said surface by said block and the other webof the blank entering said slot during forward movement of the tablewhereby the blank is bent in accordance with the forming block, a platepassing through said block adjacent said slot, cam mechanism connectingwith said plate and actuated upon reverse movement of said table to movesaid plate into said slot to eject from said slot the formed blank.

5. In a bending machine for bending metal bars, the combination of asupporting frame, a table pivotally mounted in said frame, a formingblock carried by said table and having a forming surface, means forclamping one end of a bar to said block, a companion forming membermounted on said frame adjacent said block, driving means for said table,a main forward driving memher, a main reverse drive member, clutchmechanism for controlling connection of said forward and reverse maindriving members with the driving means for the 'table, means foradjusting said clutch mechanism to connect the main forward drivingmember with the driving means whereby said table is moved forwardly tocause the bar to be drawn along the companion member and to be pressedthereby against the forming surface to be bent in accordance with saidsurface, means operating at the end of the forward movement of the tableto automatically actuate the clutch mechanism to disconnect the mainforward driving member and to connect the main reverse driving memberwith the driving means whereby said table is returned to its normalposition and means automatically controlled to forcibly eject the formedbar from the machine at the end of the reverse movement.

6. In a bending machine for bending metal bars, the combination of asupporting frame, a table pivotally mounted in said frame, a formingblock carried by said table and having a forming surface, means forclamping one end of a bar to said block, a companion forming membermounted on said frame adjacent said block, driving means for said table,a main forward driving member, a main reverse driving member, clutchmechanism for controlling connection of said forward and reverse maindriving members with the driving means for the table, means foradjusting said clutch mechanism to connect the main forward drivingmember with the driving means whereby said table is moved forwardly tocause the bar to be drawn along the companion member and to be pressedthereby against the forming surface to be bent in accordance with saidsurface, latch mechanism adapted to engage with the clutch mechanismafter actuation thereof to lock said clutch mechanism to maintain theconnection of the main forward driving member with the driving means,means controlled by the forward movement of said table to actuate thelatch mechanism to release the clutch mechanism after said bar has beenformed, and means acting upon release of the latch mechanism to actuatethe clutch mechanism to disconnect the main forward driving member andto connect the main reverse driving member with the table driving meanswhereby said table is returned to its normal position.

7. In a bending machine for bending metal bars, the combination of asupporting frame, a table pivotally mounted in said frame, a formingblock carried by said table and having a forming surface, means forclamping one end of a bar to said block, a companion forming membermounted on said frame adjacent said block, driving means for said table,a main forward driving member, a main reverse driving member, clutchmechanism for controlling connection of said forward and reverse maindriving members with the driving means for the table, means foradjusting said clutch mechanism to connect the main forward drivingmember with the driving means whereby said table is moved forwardly tocause the bar to be drawn along the companion mem her and to be pressedthereby against the forming surface to be bent in accordance with saidsurface, latch mechanism adapted to engage with the clutch mechanismafter actuation thereof to lock said clutch mechanism to maintain theconnection of the main forward driving member with the driving means,means controlled by the forward movement of said table to actuate thelatch mechanism to release the clutch mechanism after said bar has beenformed, means acting upon release of the latch mechanism to actuate theclutch mechanism to disconnect the main forward driving member and toconnect the main reverse driving member with the table driving meanswhereby said table is returned to its normal position, and additionalmeans controlled by the reverse movement of the table to automaticallymove the clutch mechanism to a position in which both forward andreverse main driving members are disconnected from the driving means andthe table stopped.

8. In a machine for bending metal bars, the combination of a stationarysupporting frame, a table rotatably pivoted in said frame, a formingblock carried by the table and having a forming surface corresponding tothe shape to which the bars are to be bent, means for clamping one endof a bar to said block, a companion block mounted on said stationaryframe adjacent said forming surface, driving means for said table, amain forward driving member, a main reverse driving member, clutchmechanism for each main driving member, clutch actuating mechanismmounted on said stationary frame, means for moving the clutch actuatingmechanism to connect the main forward driving member with the drivingmeans to cause forward movement of the table whereby the bar is drawnover the companion block and pressed by said block against the formingsurface to be bent, latch mechanism rendered effective upon movement ofsaid clutch actuating mechanism to lock said clutch actuating mechanismin position to hold the main forward driving member in connection withthe driving means, means 105 controlled by the forward movement of thetable to actuate the latch mechanism to release the clutch mechanism,means acting upon the release of said clutch actuating mechanism to movethe clutch actuating 110 mechanism to disconnect the main forwarddriving member and to connect the main reverse driving member with thedriving means whereby the table is restored to its normal position,means controlled by the 115 reverse movement of the table to move theclutch actuating mechanism to a neutral position in which both maindriving members are disconnected from the driving means, and brakemechanism automatically acted 120 upon during movement of the clutchactuating mechanism to neutral position to stop the machine when suchneutral position is reached.

9. In a machine for bending metal bars, 125 the combination of astationary supporting frame, a table rotatably pivoted in said frame, aforming block carried by the table and having a forming surfacecorresponding to the shape to which the bars are to be bent, 130

means for clamping one end of a bar to said block, a companion blockmounted on said stationary frame adjacent said forming surface, drivingmeans for said table, a main forward driving member, a main reversedriving member, clutch mechanism for each main driving member, clutchactuating mechanism mounted on said stationary frame, means for movingthe clutch actuating mechanism to connect the main forward drivingmember with the driving means to cause forward movement of the tablewhereby the bar is drawn over the companion block and pressed by saidblock against the forming surface to be bent, latch mechanism renderedeffective upon movement of said clutch actuating mechanism to lock thesaid clutch actuating mechanism in position to hold the main forwarddriving member in connection with the driving means, means controlled bythe forward movement of the table to actuate the latch mechanism torelease the clutch actuating mechanism, means actmg upon the release ofsaid clutch actuating mechanism to move the clutch actuating g5position, means controlled by the reverse 30 movement of the table tomove the clutch mechanism to a neutral position in which both maindriving members are disconnected from the driving means, and brakemechanism engaged by the clutch mechanism during 5 its movement to itsneutral position and actuated whereby to stop the machine when suchneutral position is reached.

In witness hereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30 day of July A.D. 1909.

JOHN F. GAIL. Witnesses Gus JAooB, C. E. I-IAWLEY.

